QUEEN'S PARK 2 SHIRE 0

Queen’s Park underlined their reputation as one of the teams Shire like facing least with a 2-0 win at Hampden Park.

Their advantage was a slim one in a game of few chances for either team but once Paul Stewart had put the home team in front after 53 minutes there seemed no way back for Shire, who have failed to win any game this season in which their opponents have scored first.

It was the third defeat in four matches against the Spiders this season and means Shire are now ten points behind leaders Livingston.

Despite promising wholesale changes after Tuesday’s defeat at leaders Livingston, Shire coach Jim McInally had his hand forced by injuries and suspensions.

Paul Weaver failed a late fitness test and his place went to Derek Ure. Dean Richardson came off the subs bench and took the place of Paul Hay in the starting eleven.

Scott Johnston was struggling with an ankle injury but was still named among the substitutes and, with David Dunn suspended, there was a place on the bench for under-19 striker Josh Mullin.

Shire saw very little of the ball in the first ten minutes of the game as the home team hogged possession but, for all that, the best Queens could manage was a dangerous ball in from Jack Henry which flew across the face of goal and wide.

It took until the 12 minute for the visitors to attempt a shot at goal. Jamie Stevenson’s corner was flicked on by Ryan Harding but Simon Lynch’s header towards goal was blocked by a Queen’s Park defender.

Another Stevenson set-piece after 17 minutes created a half-chance for Shire. This time the midfielder lobbed a free-kick towards the six yard box and Michael Bolochoweckyj jumped highest to head goalwards but his effort was too high.

Jamie Barclay was hardly called into any serious action but he had to keep his eyes on a Martin McBride effort from long-range that flew just over the crossbar after 26 minutes.

Shire managed to get the ball into the home net after 30 minutes after Stephen McGuire picked out Lynch in the penalty box. The striker finished smartly but his ‘goal’ was ruled out by the linesman’s offside flag.

Another smart pass, this time from Stevenson, gave Lynch another clean sight of goal after 35 minutes but before the striker could should he was dispossessed by a great tackle from James Brough.

The home team’s Jack Henry had his head in his hands four minutes before the break after shooting wide of the target from the corner of the six yard box, although in fairness to the midfielder the cross from the right came at him at pace.

Shire created the first clear opening of the second period. A persistent run down the left by Lynch created the space for a Stevenson shot from the edge of the box but his effort went well over the bar.

But it was the home team who took the lead on 53 minutes. Craig Donaldson’s mis-hit clearance from the edge of his own box failed to reach Andy Rodgers and Paul Stewart nipped into the vacant space to chip Jamie Barclay from the edge of the box.

Shire tried to respond and shots were fired in by Rodgers and McGuire but neither troubled the keeper.

The coach withdrew both players and replaced them with Paul Hay and Marc McKenzie as they went for broke, pushing more men forward. Scott Johnston was the third Shire replacement and he made his usual late impact but despite being well-placed a couple of times his efforts were not on target.

Dean Richardson enjoyed better luck, at least forcing Mark McGeown in the home goal into a couple of saves, the best of which was a fingertip over the bar from an 18 yard shot.

But with so many men committed to attack, Shire were always vulnerable to the counter attack and Queens’ substitute Chris Hamilton underlined that fact by firing home their second goal with the last kick of the match.

QUEEN’S PARK : McGeown, Little, Douglas, Gallagher, Brough, Capuano, McBride, Henry(C. Hamilton 67), Daly, Quinn, Stewart(Watt 70).

SHIRE : Barclay, Donaldson(Johnston 85), Richardson, Forrest, Bolochoweckyj, Harding, Ure, Stevenson, Lynch, McGuire(Hay 59), Rodgers(McKenzie 68).

REFEREE : M. Northcroft

ATTENDANCE : 457.